Top 11 Cereal Mascots
NC: Hello, I'm the Nostalgia Critic, I remember it so you don't have to! I can't help it; I'm a product of advertising. I see something advertised, I have to go buy it. Ghostbusters picture Advertising Spokesman: BUY THIS! And NC does NC: But that doesn't mean there are some advertising gimicks and characters that were better than others. Ghostbusters II picture Advertising Spokesman: BUY THIS ONE TOO! And NC does, again NC: Take, for example, cereal labels. Various cereal pictures NC (voiceover): There are dozens of cereals out there, but only a distinct few seem to survive over the years. Is it really the taste of the cereal that keeps coming back? Or is the mascots, the timeless characters that go through many changes, but still keep the likebility over the decade? NC: No, it obviously the taste, but the mascots played a big role, and that's why I'm counting down the Top 11 Best Sugar-Coated Marketing Icons of all time. Why Top 11? Because I like to go one step beyond. So sit back and enjoy the Top 11 Cereal Mascots. Milk and Cereal song and various cereal mascots is the intro and title screen; Interlude NC (voiceover): Number 11--Toucan Sam from Froot Loops. Footage from commercials NC (voiceover): Released in around 1945, Toucan Sam started off with a relativity boring scenario, just talking in Pig Latin. Toucan Sam (singing): Crispy and delicious ding for breakfst or for acking-snay*. (*Yeah, I don't get it either) NC: Reviting. Commercials footage Toucan Sam: Smart kid! NC (voiceover): By the way, that voice sounds different to you. Thast's because it wasn't always done by the same person. Infact, that's actually... Mel Blanc picture NC (voiceover): ...Mel Blanc, the voice of most of the Looney Tunes characters... Commercials footage NC (voiceover): ...but they didn't feel the character was strong enough, so hey switched out the voice with Paul Frees, another actor who might sound familiar... Toucan Sam: So for Kellogg's Froot Loops, just follow your nose. Ludwig von Drake footage Ludwig von Drake: Ha ha ha! Did ya hear that note? NC (voiceover): Yes, it's the same who did Ludwig von Drake. That's kinda cool Commercials footage NC (voiceover): They also changed the scenario, too. It usually starts off with somebody having a problem or searching for something. No matter what the dilemma, Froot Loops always seems to have the answer. Cowboy: They left without breakfast again! Penguin: I've been adrift for days and I'm tired of frozen breakfasts. Lion: I need a really rad breakfast to help get me back home. Toucan Sam: Follow my nose. Just follow my nose. Follow my nose. A Kellogg's Froot Loops cereal. NC (voiceover): Just how many problems can Froot Loops change anyway. NC (mimicking kid): Ah, jeesh, Toucan Sam! My father has AIDS! Commercials footage Toucan Sam: Just follow your nose. NC (mimicking kid): Well, okay! Commercials footage Toucan Sam: It always knows. NC (mimicking kid): Oh ho ho! I wonder what it could be! Commercials footage Toucan Sam: A Kellogg's Froot Loops cereal. NC gasps NC (mimicking kid): My father still has AIDS! Commercials footage NC (voiceover): Well, whatever the issue, there was always a big bowl of Froot Loops cereal there to make you forget about all your problems, or at least...try to make you forget. Rapping Rhino: But a cannibal breakfast... Toucan Sam (rapping): ...another Froot Loops fan... Rapping Rhino: ...and I got great taste... Toucan Sam (rapping): Like me, Toucan Sam... NC (mimicking kid): My father still has AIDS... Interlude NC (voiceover): Number 10--Cookie Crook & Officer Crumb Footage from Cookie Crisp commercials NC (voiceover): Now, technically, these characters aren't around anymore, but I wanted to list them just to show the evolution of the character. Originally released in 1977, the mascot for Cookie Crisp was originally a wizard named Jarvis. Isn't that a weird name? His gimick was to turn cereal bowls into big pots of cookies. You know, because our... Various cereal pictures NC (voiceover): ...cereals were already so boring. Commerciasl footage NC (voiceover): It didn't catch on very well, so they changed it in 1985 to a disruptive pair called Cookie Crook and Officer Crumb. This caught on much better, but it still wasn't gimicky enough. NC: If only there was an annoying catchphrase that every kid could be shouting obnoxiously. Commercials footage Chip: COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIE CRISP!!! NC (voiceover): So they gave the Cookie Crook a dog named Chip, who would ruin everything by always shouting... Chip: COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIE CRISP!!! NC (voiceover): That did even better, so after a while they just said, "Fuck the cops & robbers. We'll just make it about the dog." So the dog was the mascot for a while. Chip: Now with a mouthful of chips in every bite. NC: But they didn't think the design was "hip enough" for the young kids, so decided to... Commercials footage NC (voiceover): ...re-design it and make it into a wolf or a husky, I'm not sure what it is, and made the change complete by giving him a sports jacket, NC: What?! You can't see the natural evolution from goin' from a Merlin-Styled-Wizard into a sport-centered husky? Well, somebody needs to take some logic lessons! Commercials footage NC (voiceover): For all the changes it went through, the Cookie Crook and cop were the best editions, because hey, who doesn't love a good game of Cops & Robbers? Well... Cops & Robbers picture NC (voiceover): Okay, caps and robbers... Commercials footage NC (voiceover): ...but still, it was a good idea, lasting almost 8 years in commercials. That's one tough cookie that's hard to beat. Kids (singing): COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIE CRISP!!! COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIE CRISP!!! Chip: A h-ooooooooooooo-wling good of a this complete breakfast. Interlude NC (voiceover): Number 9--The Honey Nut Cheerios Bee. Footage from commercials NC (voiceover): Though not having much of a character, the bee was certainly enjoyable to watch, making any... Bee picture NC (voiceover) ...real life bee look like fucking monsters. Commercials footage NC (voiceover): His gimmick was too try and get people to try his cereal, but they never seem intrested, until he says the magic words... The Bee: Tying you atent with a taste of nuts and honey*. (*Yeah, I don't get it either) Lawyer: Nuts...& honey... Hulk Hogan: Nuts & honey?! Scrouge: Did you say honey & nuts? NC (mimicking Scrouge): Did you say hookers and blow? Oh no, you said honey & nuts. That...T-T-That's not nearly as good. Christmas commercial footage NC (voiceover): Actually, I always liked watching this commercial in particular around christmas time... Fruity Pebbles Christmas commercial footage NC (voiceover): ...that and the Fruity Pebbles commercial with Santa; and no, thier not gonna make it on the countdown because they were already on a show. It's like putting... Pirates of the Caribbean cereal picture NC (voiceover): ...Jack Sparrow on the list because of the Pirates of the Caribbean cereal. It just doesn't seem right. That and they promote... Flintstones Winston cigarettes commercial footage...never saw that coming NC (voiceover): ...smoking. Dude, that's just wrong... Fred Flintstone (singing): Winston tastes good like a...cigarette should. Commercial footage NC (voiceover): It's funny how we all just called him "Bee" because he actually was given a name. In 2000, they held a contest for who would name the Honey Nut Cheerios bee, and a 5th-grader won the contest by naming him--are you ready for this--"Buzz Bee!" NC: Really? That the most...imaginative name you could pick from the list? Well, while you're at it, why don't you just call these characters... Mickey Mouse picture NC (voiceover): ...Squeak Mouse... Woody Woodpecker picture NC (voiceover): ...Fly Bird... Steven Seagal picture NC (voiceover): ...or Shit Spewer? NC: The possibilities are just endless! Commercial footage NC (voiceover): Well, to me, he's the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee. Sure, it's a long name, but a mascot by any other name would still be as marketable. NC: Or should I say, "'Bee' marketable." Ha ha ha ha. No, that'd be silly. I'd be strecthing out the middle of the word for no reason. Interlude NC (voiceover): Number 8--Wendell from Cinnnamon Toast Crunch. Footage from commercials NC (voiceover): Getting his start in 1987, Cinnamon Toast Crunch didn't just have Wendell, but actually 2 other chefs. NC (low voice): Nobody knows! Commercial footage NC (voiceover): Infact, Wendell is the only one who ever had a name and identity out of these 3. Isn't that a little strange? They were a trio for a while, until this one commercial had suck himself into a television because he was distracted by the Cinnamon Toast Crunch that was on the TV. Kid: Wendell's gone cinna-munchy crunchy crazy! NC: Which is odd because he makes the stuff and he's surrounded by it. Isn't that kinda like watching porn when you own a bordello? Commercial footage NC (voiceover): The other chefs got him back, but the gimick was now changed. Now the scenarion was: Wendell would go crazy everytime saw Cinnamon Toast Crunch and would immediately go after it, and where did other 2 chefs go? NC (low voice): Nobody knows! Commercial footage NC (voiceover): My guess is Wendell had them assassinated. Somewhere at the the bottom of the ocean, you'll find... Possible fate of the other 2 chefs NC (voiceover): ...2 chefs with cements and Cookie Crook next to a cookie cop. NC: They had to go somewhere! Commercial footage NC (voiceover): Since then, the focus seemed to fear away from Wendell and instead showed-off other people who could see everything except why kids love Cimmamon Toast Crunch.